TP-Link MR200 firmware update

To change MAC just copy content of your original dump 0x7d0000 - 0x7e0000 to C2V1stock_dump.
To be precise and if not mistaken it is found at 0x7df100. Try this new edited file of yours and erase and write to your SPI flash. You should erase everything first before writing back. Full size should be 8192KB

Hi, @jmpcarceles please consider to take notes of what are you doing so I could repair my mr200. I would try to check if yours and mine is the same before doing nothing but I will acceptfrom your every piece of help, every piece of bin fila (download, upload, modified, unmodified....)....

Thanks a lot.

Mine is from amena, probably like yours. Thanks.

Hi @ortegafernando.

Mine is from Amena too.

I'm sorry to say that for now I have not been successful with reading the chip.

I don't know if the soic8 clip doesn't make good contact on all the pins, or as the chip is connected to the board, other components dissipates part of the voltage and chip does not receive enough power.

When I connect the clip to the chip and then connect the programmer, the LEDs on the router light up momentarily, but the programmer software does not recognize the chip and reading result is blank.

I want to make one more attempt cleaning well all the pins, to see if I can read it.

Otherwise, the only way I can think of is to desolder the chip, but my skill with the soldering iron is not very good and i'm afraid to desolder it.

The pity is that I do not have more devices with bios chips to do more tests, so I ordered an individual winbond W25Q64FVSIG to test if the problem is the chip or the programmer.

I will continue informing.

Hi, you could also try only desolder the Vcc pin, so there aren't any other chip or components supplied by you.

Regards

Which type of programmer do you use? Please make sure the UART port is not connected and power on router is not turned ON. Do not feed the power supply with power. The chip must be powered from the programmer. Flickering LEDs on router is normal. Also make sure clip has contact to every pin and at the right pin numbering.

Hi @jmpcarceles any news about ? Do you be able to download the original firmware? Thanks

Hi guys.
Sorry for the delay.
I don't have so much free time.
I'm using an CH341A programmer.
I'm sorry to say i broke the soic8 clip and i can't attach it to the chip.
So i'm planning to desolder the chip without using solder iron.
I found this vĂ­deo about how to desolder and solder a chip using hot air gun.

I made some test with old devices.
I use my paint remover hot air gun at lowest temperature.
It's not very difficult to remove and attach a chip safely.

Anyway, a W25Q64FVSIG chip is on the way, to be able to test first the programmer, before desolder router BIOS chip.
I want to be sure my programmer works, to desolder router chip only one time.
I will keep you imformed.

Could you solder 8 little cables to the IC's pins ?For example, cables from a LAN/RJ45 cable.
May be easier and safer than desolder and solder again the IC.

I will use that method if I get the original flash dump, so I have to wait for your dump.

Thanks.

Any news? I need your backup to start.

I have finally bought another MR200. Which are the steps? I dont want to "break" it again, so how could I know what is my .bin file to flash after flashing openwrt ?
Thanks.

Where did you buy it? Is it the same type from your ISP or is it original TP-Link firmware, maybe you can see it in the about or status or something. If you want to do a full dump, then you need to do the same thing, backup with external SPI programmer. If it is from official TP-Link source and not from ISP then you can flash to openwrt and dump your firmware from the terminal.

BTW if you wish to convert your older MR200 to original TP-Link and have the methods to write to the SPI flash you can use C2V1stock_dump.bin which I posted and start from there. This will erase and replace the last 3 partitions which contains your ISP custom data, which I think does not have any advantage other than limiting your router to them.

Hi, sorry delay, I traveled a lot.
I buy another second hand router and I have update it to official firmware
https://static.tp-link.com/2018/201807/20180720/Archer%20MR200(EU)_V1_180502.zip
Could you check/make with this official file a "back_to_stock.bin" file? or is it the same as yours?
What is exactly the good file not to have problems again with LAN ports?

As I remember here, I have two .bin files (mediafire and google drive sources).

May be the good one is what you can do from the link that I have pasted?

@jmpcarceles do you have any imporvement ?

Regards,

Any news? Thanks

If it is from official website, then it should work with current openwrt releases. Just as long as it is not using any custom firmware from your ISP, etc.

Yes, but to flash it from openWrt (just in case I want to back to stock firmware) do I have to do something with it?

I remember that you say about haxademcimal editions, and said to someone that you could prepare the file for him/her.

The "back_to_stock firmware.bin" file that I used didn't work last time (not lan ports)

And I have big doubts about openWrt "ArcherC2V1_tp_recovery.bin" file that I have. Could this file be the reason not to have any lan ports? Could you resend me this file for MR200 v1? Could you prepare back to stock with the oficial firmware that I have linked?

I mean, I want to repeat the steps, but i dont want to finish again with a router without lan ports. Thanks a lot for your help

The problem only arises if you have custom firmware from your ISP like orange. Mr200 v1 and "ArcherC2V1" are basically the same hardware and firmware the difference is MR200V1 have LTE modem inside while C2V1 doesn't have it.

ArcherC2V1_tp_recovery.bin is a full dump firmware you can not use it for flash with openwrt or tp-link webflasher. it must be used by external programmer.

You also said that you were able to update to official tp-link, so I don't think it is custom firmware from ISP so you can safely follow the guides already provided.

BTW it is better to save the bootlog before any updates for reference, just in case.

Ok, I understoood that MR200 V1 from "ISP" and from "TPLINK" were the same hardware.

Hi @gurangax
Today I have flash ArcherC2V1_tp_recovery.bin (8.192.000 bytes) to the new router with TFTP32 app.
Now, I want to do step by step not to do it wrong again.
I am now with this version of Openwrt:

Lan and wifi working perfectly.

What is the next step ? What is the file that I have to use ?
As I have now openwrt firmware could I make anything good to avoid future errors? May be check hardware before flashing anything more? check hardware version ? update to 18.06.2 version?

PLease, help me to the next step, thanks.

upgrade file from openwrt by webflash use file from here. http://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/18.06.2/targets/ramips/mt7620/openwrt-18.06.2-ramips-mt7620-ArcherMR200-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin
I think your device is with original firmware and not custom, so won't have future errors as long as you follow instructions.

The Table of Hardware always shows the latest available downloads for your device.